sistence were not applied to their support. But notwithstanding all these repeated complaints and remonstrances, and the constant promise of amendment on the part of his the said Hastings's, minister, the supply was not more plentiful or more regular than before.

1782.

1782.

LXIII.

LXIV.

That the manner in which the said inhuman acts of rapacity and violence were felt, both by the women of high rank concerned, and by all the people, strongly appears in the joy expressed on their release, which took place on the 5th of December 1782; and is stated in two letters of that date from Major Gilpin to the resident, in the words following:

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That the said resident Bristow, finding by ex- And the resident Bristow, knowing how acceptperience the inefficacy of the courses, which had able the said proceeding would be to all the peobeen pursued with regard to the mother and grand- ple of Oude, and the neighbouring independent mother of the reigning prince of Oude, and having countries, did generously and politi- Mr. Bristow's Major Gilpin's received a report from Major Gilpin cally (though not truly) in his letter letter, 12 Dec. letter, 18 Nov. informing him, that all, which could to the princess mother attribute the 1782. be done by force, had been done; said relief given to herself, and the release of her and that the only hope, which remained for real- ministers, to the humanity of the said Warren izing the remainder of the money, unjustly ex- Hastings, agreeably to whose orders he pretended Mr. Bristow's acted as aforesaid, lay in more lenient to act; asserting, that he the said Hastings letter, 2d Dec. methods; he, the said resident, did, of" the spring from whence she was restored to her his own authority, order the removal "dignity and consequence.' And the account of the guard from the palaces, the troops being of the proceedings aforesaid was regularly translong and much wanted for the defence of the mitted to the said Warren Hastings on the 30th frontier, and other material services; and did re- of December 1782, with the reasons and motives lease the said ministers of the said women of rank, thereto, and a copy of the report of the officer who had been confined and put in irons, and va- concerning the inutility of further force, attended riously distressed and persecuted, as afore recited, with sundry documents concerning the famishing, for near twelve months. and other treatment, of the women and children of the late sovereign; but the same appear to have made no proper impression on the mind of the said Warren Hastings: for no answer whatsoever was given to the said letter until the 3d of March 1783, when the said Hastings, writing in his own character and that of the council, did entirely pass by all the circumstances before recited, but did give directions for the renewal of measures of the like nature and tendency with those, which (for several of the last months at least of the said proceeding) had been employed with so little advantage to the interest, and with so much injury to the reputation, of the company, his masters, in whose name he acted; expressing himself in the said letter of the 3d of March 1783, as follows: "We desire you will inform us what means have "been taken for recovering the balance [the pre"tended balance of the extorted money] due from "the begums [princesses] at Fyzabad; and, if necessary, you must recommend it to the vizier "to enforce the most effectual means for that purpose.' And the resident did, in his answer to the board, dated 31st March 1783, on this peremptory order, again detail the particulars aforesaid to the said Warren Hastings, referring him to his former correspondence, stating the utter impossibility of proceeding further by force, and mentioning certain other disgraceful and oppressive circumstances; and in particular, that the company did not, in plundering the mother of the reigning prince of her wearing apparel and beasts of carriage, receive a value in the least equal to the loss she suffered; the elephants having no buyer but the nabob, and the clothes, which had last been delivered to Middleton at a valuation of thirty thousand pounds, were so damaged by ill

LXV.

"I have to acknowledge the receipt of your "letter of the 2d instant, and in consequence immediately enlarged the prisoners Behar Ally "Khân and Jewar Ally Khân from their confine"ment; a circumstance, that gave the begums, "and the city of Fyzabad in general, the greatest "satisfaction.

LXVI.

"In tears of joy Behar and Jewar Ally Khân "expressed their sincere acknowledgments to the "governour-general, his Excellency the nabob "vizier, and to you, Sir, for restoring them to that "invaluable blessing, liberty, for which they would ever retain the most grateful remembrance; "and at their request I transmit you the enclosed

"letters.

LXVII.

"I wish you had been present at the enlarge"ment of the prisoners. The quivering lips, with "the tears of joy stealing down the poor men's "cheeks, was a scene truly affecting.

LXXI.

That the faith given for the restoration of their landed estates being thus violated, and the money for necessary expences being as ill supplied as before, the women and children of the Bristow's letlate sovereign, father of the reigning ter, 29th Jan. prince, continued exposed to fre- 1784, with enquent want of the common necessaries of life; and, being sorely pressed by famine, they were compelled to break through all the principles of local decorum and reserve, which consti

closures.

keeping in warehouses, that they could not be sold," and that it was unavoidable at the time;"-the even for six months credit, at much more than said minister declaring to him, that it would be about eight thousand pounds; by which a loss in sufficient if he allowed them " money for their a single article was incurred of twenty-two thou- necessary expences, and that would be doing sand pounds out of the fifty, for the recovery of "enough." which (supposing it had been a just debt) such rigorous means had been employed, after having actually received upwards of five hundred thousand pounds in value to the company, and extorted much more in loss to the suffering individuals. And the said Bristow, being well acquainted with the unmerciful temper of the said Hastings, in order to leave no means untried to appease him, not contented with the letter to the governourgeneral and council, did on the same day write another letter to him particularly, in which he did urge several arguments, the necessity of using of which to the said Hastings did reflect great dis-tute the dignity of the female sex in that part of honour on this nation, and on the christian religion therein professed; viz. "that he had experi"enced great embarrassment in treating with her [the mother of the reigning prince]; for, as the "mother of the vizier, the people look up to her "with great respect; and any hard measures, "practised against women of her high rank, create discontent, and affect our national character." And the said resident, after condemning very unjustly her conduct, added, "still she is the "mother of the prince of the country, and the religious prejudices of Mussulmen prevail too "strongly in their minds to forget her situation."

LXX.

That the said Warren Hastings did not make any answer to the said letter. But the mother of the prince aforesaid, as well as the mother of his father, being, in consequence of his the said Hastings's directions, incessantly and rudely pressed by their descendant, in the name of the company, to pay to the last farthing of the demand, they did both positively refuse to pay any part of the pretended balances aforesaid, until their landed estates were restored to them; on the security of which alone they alleged themselves to be in a condition to borrow any money, or even to provide for the subsistence of themselves and their numerous dependants. And in order to put some end to these differences, the vizier did himself, about the beginning of August 1783, go to Fyzabad, and did hold divers conferences with his parents, and did consent and engage to restore to them their landed estates aforesaid; and did issue an order, that they should be restored accordingly: but his minister aforesaid, having before his eyes the peremptory orders of him the said Warren Hastings, did persuade his master to dishonour himself in breaking his faith and engagement with his mother and the mother of his father, by first evading the execution, and afterwards totally revoking his vizier to Hyder said publick and solemn act, on preBeg Khan, 2d tence, that he had agreed to the grant Ramsur 1197. "from shame, being in their presence, "[the presence of his mother and grandmother,]

Shoka from the

the world, and after great clamour and violent attempts, for one whole day, to break the enclosure of the palace, and to force their way into the publick market, in order to move the compassion of the people, and to beg their bread, they did, on the next day, actually proceed to the extremity of exposing themselves to publick view-an extremity, implying the lowest state of disgrace and degradation; to avoid which many women in India have laid violent hands upon themselves-and they did proceed to the publick market-place with the starving children of the late sovereign, and the brothers and sisters of the reigning prince! -A minute account of the transaction aforesaid was written to the British resident at Lucknow by the person appointed to convey intelligence to him from Fyzabad, in the following particulars, highly disgraceful to the honour, justice, and humanity of this nation:

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them ten days subsistence, upon condition that "they returned to their habitation. None of "them, however, consented to his proposals; but were still intent upon making their escape through the bazar [market-place], and in consequence formed themselves into a line, arrang"ing themselves in the following order: the chil"dren in the front; behind them the ladies of the seraglio; and behind them again their attend"ants; but their intentions were frustrated by "the opposition which they met from Letafut's sepoys.

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LXXIII.

"The next day Letafut went twice to the 66 women, and used his endeavours to make them "return into the zenanah, promising to advance

"them 10,000 rupees; which, upon the money "being paid down, they agreed to comply with; "but night coming on, nothing transpired.

more

LXXIV.

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"being exposed to the view of the rabble. Upon "which Letafut produced the letter from the "nabob, at the same time representing, that he was amenable only to the orders of his Excel'lency, and that whatever he ordered it was his duty to obey; and that had the ladies thought proper to have retired into their apartments quietly, he would not have used the means he "had taken to compel them. The begum again "observed, that what had happened was now over. She then gave the children 400 rupees, and dismissed them, and sent word by Jumrud " and the other eunuchs, that if the ladies would peaceably retire to their apartments, Letafut "would supply them with 3 or 4,000 rupees for "their personal expences, and recommended to "them not to incur any further disgrace, and that "if they did not think proper to act agreeably to "her directions, they would do wrong. The ladies "followed her advice, and about ten at night "went back into the zenanah. The next morning the begum waited upon the mother of Shuja "Dowla, and related to her all the circumstances "of the disturbances. The mother of Shuja "Dowla returned for answer, that after there being

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no accounts kept of crores of revenues, she was "not surprised, that the family of Shuja Dowla, "in their endeavours to procure a subsistence, "should be obliged to expose themselves to the "meanest of the people. After bewailing their "misfortunes, and shedding many tears, the begum "took her leave, and returned home."

That the said affecting narrative being sent with others of the same nature, on the 29th of January 1784, to the said Warren Hastings, he did not order any relief in consequence thereof, or take any sort of notice whatsoever of the said intelligence.

"On the day following their clamours were violent than usual. Letafut went to con"sult with them on the business of yesterday, offering the same terms. Depending upon the fidelity of his promises, they consented to return "to their apartments, which they accordingly did," except two or three of the ladies, and most of "their attendants. Letafut then went to Hush"mund Ally Cawn, to consult with him upon "what means they should take. They came to a re"solution of driving them in by force; and gave "orders to their sepoys to beat any one of the women, who should attempt to move forward. "The sepoys consequently assembled; and, each "one being provided with a bludgeon, they drove "them by dint of beating into the zenanah. The women seeing the treachery of Letafut, pro"ceeded to throw stones and bricks at the sepoys, "and again attempted to get out; but finding "that impossible from the gates being shut, they kept up a continual discharge of stones and "bricks till about ten; when finding their situa"tion desperate, they retired into the kung mohul, "and forced their way from thence into the pa"lace, and dispersed themselves about the house "and garden; after this they were desirous of "getting into the begum's apartment, but she be"ing apprized of their intention ordered her doors "to be shut. In the mean time, Letafut and "Hushmund Ally Cawn posted sentries to secure "the gates of the lesser mahal. During the whole "of this conflict, all the ladies and women re"mained exposed to the view of the sepoys. The "begum then sent for Letafut and Hushmund "Ally Cawn, whom she severely reprimanded, "and insisted upon knowing the causes of this "infamous behaviour. They pleaded in their de"fence the impossibility of helping it, as the "treatment the women had met with had been "conformable to his Excellency the vizier's orders. "The begum alleged, that even admitting that "the nabob had given those orders, they were by no means authorized in this manner to disgrace the family of Shuja Dowla; and should they not receive their allowance for a day or two, it could be of no great moment: what was passed was now at an end; but that the vizier "should certainly be acquainted with the whole "of the affair, and that whatever he desired she "should implicitly comply with. The begum "then sent for five of the children, who were "wounded in the affray of last night, and, after "endeavouring to sooth them, she sent again for "Letafut and Hushmund Ally Cawn, and in the "presence of the children expressed her disapprobation of their conduct, and the improbability of Asuf ul Dowla's suffering the ladies and "children of Shuja Dowla to be disgraced by

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LXXV.

through our resident at the court of the vizier ; "and it very materially concerns the credit of your governour on no account to suffer such payments to be evaded." But the said Warren Hastings did never make the arrangement supposed in the said letter to be actually made, nor did he cause the resident to pay them the amount of their jaghires, or to make any payment to them.

And the said Hastings being expressly ordered by the court of directors to restore to them their estates, in case the charges made upon them should not be found true, he the said Hastings did contumaciously and cruelly decline any compliance with the said orders until his journey to Lucknow, when he did, as he says, "conformably to the "orders of the court of directors, and more to "the inclination of the nabob vizier, restore to "them their jaghires, but with the defalcation,

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LXXVI.

"and dignity of this government is so materially "concerned; and that such information may be "transmitted to the court of directors." And he did further propose heads and modes of enquiry, suitable to the doubts expressed by the court of directors. But the said Warren Hastings, who ought long before, on principles of natural justice, to have instituted a diligent enquiry in support of his so improbable a charge, and was bound, even for his own honour, as well as for the satisfaction of the court of directors, to take a strong part in the said enquiry, did set himself in opposition to the same, and did carry with him a majority of council against the said enquiry into the justice of the cause, or any proposition for the relief of the sufferers; asserting, "that the reasons of the "court of directors, if transmitted with the orders "for the enquiry, will prove in effect an order for "collecting evidence to the justification and acI quittal of the begums, and not for the investigation of the truth of the charges, which have been preferred against them." That Mr. Stables did not propose, (as in the said Hastings's minute is groundlessly supposed,) that the reasons of the court of directors should be transmitted with the orders for an enquiry. But the apprehension of the said Warren Hastings of the probable result of the enquiry proposed did strongly indicate his sense of his own guilt, and the innocence of the parties accused by him; and if, by his construction, Mr. Stables's minute did indicate an inquiry merely for the justification of the parties by him accused, (which construction the motion did not bear,) it was no more than what the obvious rules of justice would well support; his own proceedings having been ex parte; he having employed Sir Elijah Impey to take affidavits against the women of high rank aforesaid, not only without any enquiry made on their part, but without any communication to them of his practice and proceedings against them; and equity did at least require, that they, with his own knowledge, and by the subordinates of his own government, should be allowed a publick inquiry to acquit themselves of the heavy offences, with which they had been by him clandestinely charged.

That the said Warren Hastings having made a malicious, loose, and ill-supported charge, backed by certain unsatisfactory affidavits, as a ground for his seizing on the jaghires, and the treasures of the vizier's mother, solemnly guarantied to them; the court of directors did, in their letter of the 14th of February 1783, express themselves as follows concerning that measure;-" which the gover"nour-general (he the said Warren Hastings) in "his letter to your board, the 23d of January" "1782, has declared he strenuously encouraged " and supported; we hope and trust, for the honour of the British nation, that the measure appeared fully justified in the eyes of all Hin"dostan. The governour-general has informed us, that it can be well attested, that the begums "(the mother and grandmother of the nabob aforesaid) principally excited and supported the "late commotions; and that they carried their inveteracy to the English nation so far, as to aim at our utter extirpation."—And the court of directors did further declare as follows:-" that "it no where appears from the papers at present "in our possession, that they (the mother and "grandmother of the nabob of Oude) excited any commotions previous to the imprisonment "of Rajah Cheit Sing, and only armed themselves "in consequence of that transaction; and it is probable, that such a conduct proceeded from "motives of self-defence, under an apprehension, "that they themselves might likewise be laid "under unwarrantable contributions."-And the said court of directors, in giving their orders for the restoration of the jaghires, or for the payment of an equivalent through the resident, did give this order for the restoration of their estates as aforesaid on condition, that it should appear from enquiry, that they were not guilty of the practices charged upon them by the said Hastings. Mr. Stables, one of the council general, did, in execution of the said conditional order, propose an enquiry, leading to the ascertainment of the condition, and did enter a minute as follows: "that "the court of directors, by their letters of the "14th of February 1784, seem not to be satisfied, "that the disaffection of the begums to this go"vernment is sufficiently proved by the evidence pose its influence by any act, which might tend "before them; I therefore think, that the late "to revive their animosities, and a very slight "and present resident, and commanding officer "occasion would be sufficient to effect it. They "in the vizier's country at the time, should be "will instantly take fire on such a declaration, "called on to collect what further information" proclaim the judgment of the company in their

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they can on this subject, in which the honour

LXXVII.

That he, the said Hastings, in order to effectually stifle the said enquiry, did enter on record a further minute, asserting, that the said enquiry would be productive "of evils greater than any "which have already taken place, and which time "has almost obliterated;" as also the following"If I am rightly informed, the nabob vizier and "the begums are on terms of mutual good-will. "It would ill become this government to inter

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"favour, demand a reparation of the acts, which